MAC Home celebrates new outdoor play area for children

The Merrill Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the MAC Home in Merrill on Monday, May 19, 2025, to celebrate the completion of a new outdoor play area designed specifically for children staying at the facility.
The small green space, located next to the MAC Home at 407 W. Main St., represents the culmination of a two-year collaboration between the organization and the City of Merrill.
“We are so excited to have a safe area for the children who stay at MAC Home to play in,” said Theresa Anthoney, BSW, CSW, Executive Director of the MAC Home.
The fenced-in green space measures 11 feet wide and runs almost the full depth of the lot. It features a swing set and picnic tables, with a sandbox still to come. The area will remain locked until families staying at the MAC Home need access.
After securing a lease with the city for the area next to MAC Home, the organization applied for and received a $4,700 grant from The Optimist’s Club to build a fence around the area and supply play equipment for the children. Two picnic tables were built by volunteers through the God’s Work, Our Hands project with Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church.

“We are extremely thankful to The Optimist’s Club, Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, and the City of Merrill for partnering with MAC Home to provide a safe play area for the families that use our services,” Anthoney said.
The need for the play space becomes clear when considering the facility’s capacity. The MAC Home’s temporary transitional living unit has four bedrooms, each accommodating up to three people from the same family, along with a shared kitchen and family area.
“There’s been a time when we had like nine children here really at one point, because we’ve got four rooms upstairs and depending on the family combinations,” said Dee Olsen, Secretary/Treasurer of the MAC Board. “We have four rooms. And each has three bunk beds. So when we get a family of six, which we’ve had, then we have to use two rooms.”
The temporary housing is available for 30 to 90 days while staff work with guests to provide case management to help facilitate getting them into permanent housing. The facility also operates as a warming center on the main level, with overnight hours Sunday through Saturday from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m.
Olsen, who started the MAC Board with Mike Ravn, noted the demands of running the operation. Ravn currently serves as President of the Board of Directors, while Olsen is Secretary/Treasurer. Eight other members round out the Board.
“Theresa is busy running the operation and managing, you know, it has to be staffed 24/7,” Olsen said.
The MAC Home opened five years ago this past March after two years of preparation work and a total investment of $550,000, including purchasing the property.
For more information about the MAC Home, contact Anthoney at 715.722.1200.